Political parties

Major Indian political parties

Profiles of India's major parties covering their history, founding ideology, and relationship to the issues and politicians on this site.

15 pages

01Bharatiya Janata PartyIndia's ruling party since 2014, the BJP emerged from the Jana Sangh and positions itself on Hindu nationalism, economic reform, and strong central governance. It is the largest party in India by parliamentary seats and organisational reach.BJP · Est. 1980

02Indian National CongressThe party that led India's independence movement and governed for most of the post-independence era, the Congress has historically blended Nehruvian socialism, secularism, and welfare politics. It currently leads the INDIA alliance in opposition.Congress · Est. 1885

03Aam Aadmi PartyFounded out of the 2011 anti-corruption movement, AAP governs Punjab. It lost the 2025 Delhi assembly election to the BJP, ending a decade of AAP governance in the capital. The party occupies a pragmatic centre, focusing on education, health, and public utilities rather than ideological alignment with the traditional left–right spectrum.AAP · Est. 2012

04Dravida Munnetra KazhagamTamil Nadu's current ruling party, the DMK is rooted in the Dravidian movement's emphasis on social justice, Tamil identity, federalism, and secularism. It has historically championed state autonomy and OBC reservation.DMK · Est. 1949

05All India Trinamool CongressThe ruling party of West Bengal, the TMC was founded by Mamata Banerjee after breaking from Congress. It combines welfare politics and Bengali cultural identity with strong opposition to the BJP at the Centre.TMC · Est. 1998

06Communist Party of India (Marxist)The largest communist party in India, the CPI(M) governed Kerala and West Bengal for extended periods. It supports land reform, labour rights, and a non-aligned foreign policy, opposing both BJP nationalism and Congress centrist accommodationism.CPI(M) · Est. 1964

07Samajwadi PartyA major party in Uttar Pradesh, the SP draws on socialist principles and OBC constituency mobilisation. It is led by Akhilesh Yadav and forms a cornerstone of opposition politics in India's most populous state.SP · Est. 1992

08Bahujan Samaj PartyFounded by Kanshi Ram and led for decades by Mayawati, the BSP represents Dalit and OBC constituencies in Uttar Pradesh and beyond. Its political philosophy draws heavily on B. R. Ambedkar and the bahujan social movement.BSP · Est. 1984

09Nationalist Congress PartyThe Nationalist Congress Party was founded in 1999 after Sharad Pawar, P. A. Sangma, and Tariq Anwar were expelled from Congress over their public opposition to a foreign-born leader heading the party. The party built its primary base in Maharashtra. In 2023 the party split when Ajit Pawar led a faction into a coalition with the BJP in Maharashtra, triggering a legal dispute over the party name and symbol; the Election Commission subsequently recognised Ajit Pawar's faction as the official NCP, while Sharad Pawar's faction contests elections as NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).NCP · Est. 1999

10Janata Dal (United)Janata Dal (United) is primarily a Bihar-based party and has been led by Nitish Kumar, who has served as Chief Minister of Bihar for most of the period since 2005. The party has shifted alliances several times: it was part of the NDA until 2013, when it broke with the BJP over the Modi question; it returned to the NDA in 2017, left again in 2022 to join the INDIA alliance, and then re-joined the NDA before the 2024 general election. After the 2024 election the party holds 12 Lok Sabha seats, making it a critical component of the NDA's majority.JD(U) · Est. 2003

11All India Anna Dravida Munnetra KazhagamThe AIADMK is Tamil Nadu's main opposition party, founded in 1972 by film actor and politician M. G. Ramachandran after he broke from the DMK. The party governed Tamil Nadu under J. Jayalalithaa for much of the period between 1991 and 2016. After Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016, internal leadership disputes weakened the organisation, and the party lost the 2021 state assembly election to the DMK. It is currently led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami.AIADMK · Est. 1972

12Bharat Rashtra SamithiThe Bharat Rashtra Samithi was founded in 2001 as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi by K. Chandrashekar Rao to lead the agitation for a separate Telangana state, which was achieved in 2014. The party governed Telangana from statehood until it lost the December 2023 assembly election to the Indian National Congress. In 2022 it rebranded to BRS with stated ambitions of national expansion, but the 2023 state loss and a poor performance in the 2024 general election significantly weakened its position.BRS · Est. 2001

13Rashtriya Janata DalBihar's principal opposition party, founded by Lalu Prasad Yadav after he split from the Janata Dal in 1997. The RJD draws on OBC and Muslim constituencies in Bihar, operating as the anchor of the INDIA alliance's Bihar bloc alongside the INC.RJD · Est. 1997

14Dravidar KazhagamThe Dravidar Kazhagam was founded by Periyar in 1944 as a social movement organisation rather than an electoral party. It is the ideological parent of the Dravidian movement from which the DMK split in 1949. The DK does not contest elections and has historically influenced Tamil politics through its rationalist, anti-Brahmin, and feminist social agenda.DK · Est. 1944

15Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)Shiv Sena (UBT) is one of two factions that emerged from the 2022 split in the original Shiv Sena, which was founded by Bal Thackeray in 1966 and was historically associated with Marathi sub-nationalism, Hindu nationalism, and a long alliance with the BJP. Uddhav Thackeray's faction lost the Election Commission's recognition as well as the party's bow-and-arrow symbol to Eknath Shinde's rival faction in 2023. Shiv Sena (UBT) contests elections as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the INDIA alliance, and won 9 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general election.Shiv Sena (UBT) · Est. 1966